5K Strategy for disaster health resilience

The Department of Health (DOH) recently launched the 5K Strategy—“Kaligtasang Pangkalusugan sa Kalamidad sa Kamay ng Komunidad,” which is aimed at disaster resilience for health at the household and community levels.

Including the health resilience in the Philippine Health Agenda, the DOH leadership has considered the prioritized emergencies and disasters as key health issues.

The DOH’s health governance is critical in driving the health resilience agenda, which is expected to harness the strengths and potentials of the local government units (LGUs). The LGUs are encouraged to build their own capabilities to be resilient by equipping the families with basic information and necessary skills to prevent deaths, diseases, injuries, disabilities, and health system damage and losses occurring from emergency and disaster situations.

“The agency will provide support for the implementation of 5K through strategies such as advocacy and capability development, among others. After enduring the world’s strongest typhoon, Typhoon Yolanda, we will emerge stronger and more resilient to whatever calamities may come our way. Let us push for the 5K approach to disasters!” the health chief added.